Surprises All Around
by Leprechaun's Fairy
Summary: Hermione has returned to complete her Seventh Year at Hogwarts and her friends decide to surprise her with a birthday celebration in the Head's Common Room. But who ends up being the most surprised by the day's events?


**Author's Note: I just love writing Hermione/Draco fics and I hope you all enjoy this one! I'm even planning an epic Harry Potter/Buffy the Vampire Slayer crossover (Hermione/Draco of course) that will be the biggest fanfiction project I've attempted yet. No word on when that will be ready but expect it to start some time this summer!**

 **As always, Harry Potter and all characters originated with the lovely JK Rowling. I sadly do not own any of them.**

* * *

"Wow. I might have tried harder in school if being Head Boy would have gotten me this," George murmured as they shuffled into the kitchen the Head Boy and Head Girl shared.

Ginny rolled her eyes and pulled herself up to sit on the counter. "No you wouldn't have."

"Oh please. A bedroom and kitchen to myself and a living room and bathroom I'd have had to share with a girl? Of course I would have vied for it!"

After the war and the rebuilding of Hogwarts the school had been reopened (on schedule even) but with a few changes. Students were advised to mingle more during meal times instead of just sitting with members of their own House. Sorting wasn't done until after dinner, giving the First Years more of a chance to bond before they were segregated.

And, per written instructions found in Dumbledore's desk, the Head Boy and Girl were to share a common room, kitchen and a bathroom as a way to emphasize unity. All nice in theory until it was discovered who Dumbledore had wanted as Head Boy and Head Girl.

The late Headmaster's recommendations weren't revealed until everyone from Harry, Ron, and Hermione's year had decided whether or not to return to Hogwarts for their Seventh Year. Hermione had chosen to return while Harry and Ron had not.

And a week after Hermione had made her decision, Professor McGonagall, the new Headmistress, had offered her the role of Head Girl. The only catch had been that Draco Malfoy, fresh from a Ministry pardon, was to be Head Boy.

Surprisingly enough Ron was the only one of Hermione's friends (she'd immediately told the Weasleys, Luna and Neville of the offer) who had been outraged by the suggestion. Possibly he'd been jealous (their failed and brief relationship had ended just weeks before her announcement). Molly and Arthur believed that Hermione would be more than safe in McGonagall's hands. The rest of the Weasleys and Neville knew Hermione could and would protect herself while Luna had no prejudices against anyone and said as much. Harry had just nodded and gently suggested she do whatever felt right. He remembered the way Draco had acted on the night Dumbledore had died and had had even spoke for him during his trial.

So Hermione had gladly accepted the Head Girl position and now, just a few weeks after, her friends had snuck into the castle to help Hermione celebrate her birthday. And George was busy being nosy, rooting through the cabinets and fridge. "They have bottles of Butterbeer in here! How is that fair?"

"Hermione probably needs it so she can stand living with Malfoy without killing the tosser," Ron suggested.

"I doubt that," Luna said in her soft voice. "Ginny says Hermione and Draco seem to get along when they run the Prefect meetings."

George pushed the door of the cupboard closed and turned to face the others, an unopened bag of crisps in his left hand. "Interesting. Very interesting. Is this true Ginevra?"

Ginny shrugged. "There hasn't been any name calling or curse throwing so far. But there have also only been two meetings so who knows what'll happen in the future."

"Graduation, heartache, love, maybe marriage and children. And eventually death," Luna mused. She blinked in surprise when everyone spun around to stare at her. "I thought we were discussing things that are likely to happen in the future."

In the silence that followed they heard the door to the common room slam open.

"Do we jump out to say happy birthday now?" Neville asked.

* * *

 _Earlier That Day_

Hermione and Draco glared at each other over the top of the Potion's essay they had been assigned earlier in the week. Once again they were forced to work together on an assignment. (Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that the professors were experimenting with them. Would prolonged exposure result in a friendship or a murder attempt?)

"Believe me, I have more experience with this potion than you do," Hermione murmured.

"And you know so much about Polyjuice how?"

Hermione blushed and averted her gaze, staring down at the familiar pages of Moste Potente Potions. "I should probably not answer that question."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm assuming this happened before this year so even if I told on you it couldn't possibly get you into trouble. No one would punish you for something that happened a year or two ago."

"Six years ago actually," she said, finally looking up when several seconds passed without a response from the blonde Slytherin.

Draco's eyes were wide and he was struggling for words. "I…you brewed Polyjuice Potion in second year?!" he finally croaked out. "How? Why?"

"Harry was upset after the Chamber of Secrets was opened what with most everyone thinking he was Slytherin's heir. So we decided to try and figure it out for ourselves. We just couldn't be ourselves when we did it."

"From my understanding of that situation…well I'm just guessing you didn't interrogate the guilty party."

Hermione smiled down at the book, not a typical reaction for someone staring at the illustrations in that particular book. "No, he wasn't guilty. Not that time."

Draco didn't question her again but when Hermione finally, completely looked at him she had a sneaking suspicion he already knew he'd been the one her boys had questioned over a half a decade before.

"So are you going to listen to me on this?" Hermione finally asked.

"For now," Draco agreed, nodding his head.

The truce lasted for all of ten minutes.

"I thought you were going to listen to me about this?" Hermione hissed after Draco complained for the third time in sixty seconds.

"That was about the Polyjuice Potion. In case you haven't noticed we've moved on to something different," Draco spat back.

"Of course I noticed. I'm not the idiot here."

They hadn't realized how loud they were getting until Madam Pince arrived at their table, her nostrils flaring. "You have ten minutes to gather books you may need and get out of my library. Once again, you are causing a disturbance."

The Head Boy and Girl shared a look before gathering their things together. Hermione couldn't help but think of how unfair it was. Whenever she had to work on a project with Draco they chose a quiet, out of the way nook that was nearly soundproof so they wouldn't bother anyone. The librarian had to have been purposefully eavesdropping in order to have heard them.

The minute they were out of the library Hermione rounded on Draco, barely able to even see him over the stack of books in her arms. "Why do you ˗"

"How about you wait and yell at me once we're in our own common room, okay?" he interrupted, brushing passed her without waiting for an answer.

Hermione huffed but followed him anyways, both of them stomping their way to the house elf statue that guarded their room.

Draco gave the statue the password and threw his bag onto the couch the second he stepped into the common room. "What was this Granger? The third time this week?"

"Just the second. And it wouldn't keep happening if you'd only realize that I'm smarter than you."

Draco snorted even as he reached to take some of the books out of Hermione's arms. "That's debatable."

"Honestly, why must you antagonize me so much?" she asked as she threw herself onto the couch next to Draco's bag. She ran a hand over her face in frustration.

"It's simple really," Draco said as he sat on the table right in front of her, knee to knee. "When you get angry your face flushes and it makes me think of how your face might flush under other circumstances."

Hermione dropped her hand and stared at Draco in surprise. "Do you mean…you can't possibly ˗"

"Be thinking about snogging you or something even more intimate?" Draco supplied, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Because I am."

Hermione didn't even have time to formulate a response when they were interrupted by the sound of breaking glass from the kitchens.

* * *

"Now you've done it," Ginny hissed as Neville fixed the jar he'd just broken.

"Obviously I didn't do it on purpose," he retorted, his cheeks and ears bright red.

Before anyone else could react Draco and Hermione rushed into the kitchen, wands raised high. They both quickly let their arms fall when they saw what they were dealing with.

"I should have guessed," Draco mumbled as he looked at the gang in distaste.

"You're just mad because we ruined your attempt to corrupt Hermione!" Ron raged. "Don't think we didn't hear your suggestive commentary."

Hermione rolled her eyes and shot her hand out to prevent Draco's retreat. "Honestly Ronald. Just let it go. I can handle it myself."

"Well I know that," Ron sputtered. "But I also don't see you cursing him even though he deserves it."

"Just because a man hits on me it does not mean he deserves to be cursed."

Everyone fell silent at the thought that Draco Malfoy had said something rather sexual to Hermione Granger and it didn't seem to bother her.

Ginny slowly stepped forward and stared at first Hermione then Draco then back to Hermione. "Does this happen often? The teasing and the flirting?"

Hermione and Draco shared a look and the brunette nodded. "Sometimes she starts it though," Draco jovially added.

"I knew it," Luna piped up, smiling broadly when everyone turned to look at her in surprise. "I've known ever sense we were all trapped in Malfoy Manor."

"Uh, Luna? That's not possible. We only started being friendly at all after it was announced we'd be Heads and were then forced to work together on the Hogwarts Rebuilding Project," Hermione pointed out.

"And the flirting thing didn't start until early last week," Draco added.

"So it's just flirting and nothing has actually happened yet?" Harry finally asked.

Hermione and Draco both blushed and pointedly looked anywhere but at one another. "Why are you guys here, anyways?" Hermione quickly changed the subject.

"We wanted to surprise you for your birthday but I guess you're the one who surprised us," George joked.


End file.
